Cultural chameleons among companies more likely to succeed abroad

THE success of companies that venture abroad hinges on how they adapt to local cultures and address cultural differences. Those that have a strong and distinct organisational culture have historically been more vulnerable to cultural conflicts in foreign countries.

In terms of "cultural fit", companies have to pay close attention to two specific aspects, research from Nanyang Business School's Centre for Business of Culture found.

First, companies in a foreign host country need to adapt to the habits and cultural expectations of local consumers. Consider the experiences of American retail giant Walmart in Germany and Japan.

In Germany, local customers viewed the friendly approach of Walmart's American staff as flirting. This failure to adapt to German culture co…